Tooth-brush.



UBBEL, JR.

TOOTH BRUSH. APPLNA'T'LON ULEB MAY1:5,1911,

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O @Mb am EDGAR Gr. HUBBEL, R., GF BOSTON, *MASSACHUSETTS TOOTH-BRUSH.

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Specification of Letters atent.

Eatented Dee. 26, 1911.

Application filed May 13, 19H. Serial No. 626,960.

To all whom it "may concern:

Be it known that l, Encan G. HUBBEL, J r., a citizen'of the United States, residing at Boston, in the count-y of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tooth-Brushes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. l

The invent-ion has reference to toot-h brushes, and the like.

More particularly it relates to brushes having metal bristle-holders or blocks and handles, although the principles of construction may, if desired, be embodied in brushes having the said parts, or one or more of them, `composed. of other material or materials.

A general object of the invention is to providea brush of separable construction, ofipractieal and siinple character, capable of being manufactured at low cost, and admitting of conveniently and readily being disassembled, cleansed thoroughly and 'eenipletely throughout, and reassembled in readiness for further use.

A convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings, in which lat- Figure l shows a brush containing the said embodiment, the brush head: and adjacent portion ofthe handle being in section and the rest of the handle in elevation.

. Fig. 2 is a'plan View of the said brush. Fig. 35

3 is a view in section in the plane of lines 3, 3, of Figs. l and 2.

A lbrush embodying the invention 'conivprises a handle l, a bristle-block 2, bristles formed as separate parts and are in screwthreaded engagement by means of a pro- ]ecting screw-threaded stein on one thereof entering `a screw-threaded hole that is 'tapped in the other thereof. ?referably,V

the screw-threaded projecting stern 7 Ais formed as an extension of the bristle-block and integral. therewith, and the lscrewthreaded hole, 8, is tapped in the end of handle l.

The bristle-block 2 is formed with the holes 5, 5, etc., into which the upper ends of the tufts of bristles are inserted, and within which the said tufts are secured by a wire or wires G, 6, etc. ()ther fastening ineans for the tufts may be employed in. stead, if preferred. The bristle-block also formed at its top with grooves or Ways 9, 9, to receive the edge-portions of the backing-strip or 'plate 4. These grooves or ways extend lengthwise of the bristlebloek,at or near the` opposite sides of the latter, and the backing-strip or plate slides endwise therein, lengthwise of the bristle-block, in being slipped into place and in being removed. ln the present instance, the said grooves or ways are formed in side-flanges 10, 10, rising from the back of the bristle-block. An end-flange l1 is provided on the bristleblock, at the extreme end of the latter, against which the corresponding end of the backing-strip or plate brings up when the latter has been pushed fully into place. The

said end-flange is'grooved to receive thesaid end of the backing strip or plate or is formed with a lip to overhang and conceal such end. To afford clearance bet-Ween the backing-strip or plate and the back of the bristle-block, so that the latter shall not be obstructed by portions of the bristles or securing wire or wires, or other bristle-securing means, in being slipped into or out of place, the lbaching-strip or plate preferably iscrowned or bulged upwardly, as shown. Il may, and preferably do, groove the back of the bristle-block as at l2, 12, 12, the grooves intersecting the holes .for the bristles. The wire or wires lie in the said grooves, between adjacent holes, which enables the backing-strip or plate to lit closer -to the surface of the bristle-block than otherwise wouldbe feasible.

l provide in convenient manner for preventing the backing strip or plate from working endwise out of place. lt can not move in the direction away from the handle, becauselthe end-flange 11 prevents. To prevent movement in the direction toward the handle. I preferably cause the proximate ends of the stripy or plate and handle 4to engage with each other, so that the hanlilltli` holdsthe backing-strip or plate securely in f place. In the l present embodiment; of,the

invention," the backing-strip or plate is iforined with a turned down and end-portion 4:L with which the proximate end of the handie engages for the purpose just stated. To

i release the backing-strip or plate the handle must first beunscrewed and removed.

To facilitate the cleansing of the bristles, longitudinal slots 13, 13, are made through the bristle-block, between the' rows of bristleholes, and corresponding slots 14, 14, are made through the backing-strip or plate, th'e saidslots 14, 14, registering'with the y Slots 13, 1.3.

Removalof the backing-strip or plate uncovers the back of the bristle-block and gives access thereto and to the underside of the backing strip. Thus the thorough and coinplete cleansing of the backing-strip or plate, back of the bristle-block, etc., may be ef- 'ected. Any particles, etc., lodged about the securing wires or inner ends of the bristles i 'may be dislodged. All portions ot the brush result of use the brush-head may ne replaced, it desired, by a new one, the same 'handle'bein'g retained in use.

VVh'at is claimed as the invention ist.: 1. The combination with a bristle-block having oppositely located longitudinal grooves orways with an entrance at one end of the latter, bristles secured in said bristleblock, the latter having openings therethrough for cleansing and ventilation,` a`

backing-strip or plate insertible at said entrance and movable lengthwise in said grooves or Ways and covering the'back of the bristle-block, and a handle in screwthreaded engagement with the `said bristleblock and engaging with the backing-strip or plate at said entrance to hold the same fromv longitudinal movement, the rem'oval of the said strip or plate uncovering the back of the bristle-block and its openings.

2. In a brush, in combination, a bristleblocli having bristles .secured therein and *also having openings therethrough for cleansing and ventilation, a removable cover covering, the back of the bristle-block, and the said openings', and means for detachably retaining the said cover in place, the removal ofthe cover uncovering the back of the bristle-block and its openings.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in. presence oftwo Witnesses.'

EDGAR G. HUBBEL, JR.

Witnesses: Y

CHAs. F. RANDALL, EDITH A. VISEMAN. 

